Be Frivolous and ImpracticalI am meeting some girl friends for lunch at a little cafe later this afternoon and I am dressed as if I were stepping onto runway of a New York City fashion show. I am wearing a simple red sweater with a black skirt, but shoes I have on...they are an old flame. A love from my past.
These are not just shoes. These are hottest looking pair of red Salvatore Ferragamo works of art. Stiletto heels and a little red and black polka dot bow on back.
They could stop traffic on a busy street corner during rush hour standing all alone, and best part about them is they make me feel powerful! They are impractical, but when I wear them I am fearless!
I love shoes. High-heeled or flat, wedge or stiletto, strappy sandals or a great pair of boots, just about any shoe that is impractical, could find a home in my closet.
I typically see a great pair of shoes, hunt down an outfit to go with them and then decide where I can go to wear this new ensemble. I know it sounds impractical, materialistic and completely backwards, but I got this from my grandmother, Annie Florio.
My grandmother was extremely practical and this is where her and I were very different. I have never heard anyone use word practical in same sentence with my name.
Of course growing up during great depression, she was extremely frugal and never bought anything unless it was truly necessary. She washed and reused pieces of aluminum foil, even piecing small scraps together to reuse later. She made most of her clothes and wore very practical shoes. I don't think she ever owned anything flashy...except for single pair of glorious, red, Ferragamo shoes.
When I was only ten years old, I was playing hide and seek with my cousins and I had found a great hiding spot in very back corner of my grandmother's bedroom closet. As I sat, I started looking through neatly stacked boxes that were behind me.
At bottom of stack, sat a red and gold box. The box was so lovely that I knew it had to contain certain treasures. As I carefully lifted lid on this wonderful box, my heart began to race and I suddenly felt hot. The contents were beyond wonderful. Not even in magazines had my eyes ever seen such beauty.
It was love at first sight. Almost in a trance, I gently lifted these precious gems from their slumbering bed and ever so slowly slipped them onto my size five feet.